Steve Welzer for Governor of New Jersey

The long-time dominance of the two establishment parties has left us facing an ecological crisis and an economic crisis. That certainly argues for shaking up the status quo! Our political system must be opened up to more voices. We need more choices on the ballot. The Democrats and Republicans could use some competition!

* * * ECOLOGY * * *

More than superficial change is needed. We must protect the earth for future generations. Creative solutions are needed which will allow us to live well without destroying our environment or our social cohesion. The Green Party is working toward a fundamental transformation of our politics and our lifeways in order to foster a healthy, sustainable society in harmony with the environment.

* * * ECONOMY * * *

Our economic well-being shouldn’t be dependent upon federal or state bailouts! Rather than propping up the big corporations and banks, more of our tax dollars should go toward supporting our local economies. Development should focus on jobs that are based in the community and enterprises (public and private) that have a vested interest in the community. This is what the Green Party means when it says that it advocates “community-based economics.”

* * * TOWARD THE GREENING OF THE GARDEN STATE * * *

The greatest obstacle to change in New Jersey is the fact that the government in Trenton responds to the needs of the big corporations rather than to the needs of the majority of citizens. Only by building grassroots democracy—based on a renewal of local empowerment—can we be sure that change will be real, substantial, and reflective of our self-governing values.

Steven Welzer was a founding member of the Green Party of New Jersey. He currently serves on the Steering Committee of the national Green Party. Patricia Alessandrini has run for State Assembly, County Freeholder, and US Congress. Last year she received the highest vote total ever for a Green candidate running for US House of Representatives.

Green politics focuses on ecology and community. The Republicans and Democrats focus on fundraising and business-as-usual. Send a message that you'd like to see the growth of a new political alternative.

Steven Welzer, 2013 Green Party candidate for Governor of New Jersey: "If anything, Section 4 of the VRA needed to be expanded, since elected officials are working to enact Voter ID laws and other tactics to block voters at the polls.

We witnessed similar actions in 2000, when Republican officials in Florida worked with ChoicePoint to invalidate thousands of voters — most of them black — in order to throw the election to George W. Bush. The Supreme Court’s Bush v. Gore decision, which declared Bush the winner, was based in part on the Constitution’s failure to guarantee the right to vote in national elections, which Justice Scalia emphasized in his opinion.

These tactics were repeated in Ohio and possibly other states in the 2004 presidential election — which motivated Greens to fight and expose irregularities by Ohio GOP officials, while Democrats sat on their hands (http://www.iwantmyvote.com)."

Latest From Steve: During petitioning some potential signers might ask about the issues the Green campaign will be addressing. Below are some notes about this for your reference.
This also can be used as the start of development of a comprehensive list (for which I’m open to feedback, comments, and suggestions).

There was a major article on the front page of the New York Times today (5/11) about the fact that the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere just surpassed 400 ppm. This is considered near-catastrophic. Scientists advocate that we get the level back below 350 ppm ASAP but the trendlines are going in the wrong direction as highlighted by this new milestone (400).
As I mention this in my petitioning a lot of people are very receptive to the idea that establishment politicians and parties are not prioritizing this enough. In regard to the “Greening of New Jersey,” I’ll be talking about transitioning away from fossil fuel usage, subsidizing solar and renewable energy, and banning fracking.
Christie’s priorities are such that:

. he pulled NJ out of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative yet he makes it easy for polluters to get waivers to bypass regulations;
. he’s kind to millionaires (re: taxation) yet nasty to unionized workers (especially teachers).
Other talking points:

. NJ has the highest unemployment rate in the region (addressed by the Green New Deal)
. NJ has the highest property taxes in the country (addressed by raising the income tax on the wealthy and the large corporations)
. the minimum wage should be raised to at least $10/hour (which is not even as high as it was during the 1960s when adjusted for inflation); and it should be inflation-indexed going forward
. restore funding for the Earned Income Tax Credit
. further subsidize tuition at the state colleges and universities
. marriage equality (legalize same-sex marriage)
. legalize marijuana and end the “war on drugs”
. set an example by having NJ adopt state-level single payer healthcare
. open up the electoral system to “more voices and more choices” (the Democrats and the Republicans could use some competition!)